Wednesday, October 15, 2008

I'm talking about wines from places and producers that I've liked in the past, things that I expected to like. Not random stuff, like the liquids masquerading as wine that I sometimes receive as samples (remind me to tell you about the California Babera that reminded me of light sweet crude oil - drill baby drill!).

Like this - the 2006 Luneau-Papin Domaine Pierre de la Grange Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Vieilles Vignes at $12. This is Luneau-Papin for crying out loud! I loved this wine in 05 but this one was just out of whack. Bread dough and highly concentrated, but not in a good way. Didn't really feel like Muscadet. Like reaching for your cup of milk and drinking orange juice.

Or this - those 2007 Hervé Villemade Chevernys from Domaine de Moulin at $16. I really liked the 2006 red wine based on the glass I had at a restaurant. This was so uninspiring though. At 50-50 Pinot/Gamay it felt like it was trying too hard, a bit overpowering. And it had a burnt earth aroma that kept wafting in and out, something that I did not at all enjoy. Look, maybe this isn't bad wine, but to me it just doesn't hold a candle to the 07 Tue-Boeuf Cheverny. But Villemade's 2007 Cheverny Blanc...pungent and borderline unpleasant. Maybe I'm just cranky?

Now this - the 2003 Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny La Marginale, this just isn't any good. It's Thierry Germain's top cuvée and it's like licking the inside of a recently drained oak barrel. It doesn't help that this is an 03, as there is little acidity or structure, but this was hollow in the mid palate and completely catatonic. To think that I shelled out $35 for this a few years ago. Schlameal!

And I wanted to like this - the 2007 Luneau-Papin VdP Nantais Gros-Plant, but in the end I couldn't. So much nail polish remover on the nose, and then seaside air which is nice, and then almost bubble gum sweetness on the palate. I'm not trying to pick on Luneau-Papin because I am a true fan, but this wine gets the nay-no.

It hasn't been all bad. I had a great Tour du Bon rosé, and a very nice 2007 old vines Beaujolais from Vissoux. But enough of that - this is a bad wine post.

tasted separately, yes. michele - i forgot to mention the 2006 pian del ciampolo that i had recently. tasted like vanilla and artificial fruit, which is strange, because i think of that producer as non-interventionist. i haven't loved any of the recent pian del ciampolos as much as the 2002.

Saw the more-expensive-than-usual green-labeled 2007 Domaine des Roches Neuves Cuvée Thierry Germain (Saumur Champigny) and snapped it up but still want to hear reports on it before opening it up. Especially after reading this post. Anybody seen or heard anything? -- Google's got nothing.

hey marcus - my favorite roches neuves wine is exactly that one, the basic saumur-champigny. it isn't bathed in wood and retains a fresh snappy character. at least it did the last time i had it (06). my complaint is just with this vintage of marginale.

Thierry Germain changed his style on Marginale after 2003. He has toned the oak down considerably. The 2005 is a marvel. Dopn't write him off just yet. The wines are great now and 2005 was a new benchmark for the esate. Look for good things from this estate.

good to know. i've always liked the basic saumur-champ, and i liked the 2000 marginale quite a bit. terre chaud has been hit or miss to me also. 05 marginale is almost $40 though, right? that's more than breton perrieres and baudry croix boisee...